Labels don't get pony for Christmas, ponder Hulu deal

Somewhere amid the chilly breezes blowing through the waning days of 2008, if you listen closely, you can hear the sound of major-label execs wigging. Tired of all these interwhatsits cornering the music-video market, the Big Four have stated plans to either go in with TV/movie streaming kings Hulu on a music-video streaming project, or develop something similar with another partner. At least one label is setting its sights solely on Hulu, though; Silicon Alley Insider quoted an unidentified label rep as saying "If it happens at all it will be with Hulu."

That's all fine and dandy, but does that mean the majors are planning to get into more messy, expensive, bad-look litigation in order to get their videos off YouTube, Joost, et al first? If not, do they firmly believe in their ability to direct people away from those sites with what SAI has indicated might very well be a premium-charging business model? Perhaps they're just planning on boosting revenues with some of that sweet bailout dough the government's been doling out to similarly benighted businesses?

P.S. - Are they still "videos" if no one ever sees them on a TV screen? Just wondering.